The (false?) economics of trading down.

supersaint3

Hello all,

I'm the owner of an '08 Alfa 159 which I have lovingly owned since March 2010 and have been incredibly happy with. However there's now 166,000 km on the clock and having recently replaced the turbo (€1,000) and last year the EGR (€600) and finding my pockets a little tight lately, I'm wondering would it be the time to move it on. Having put that plus two new tires into it for the NCT last month, I'm stuck in the quandary of having sunk a fair few bob into it lately. We have an 11 month old which is another reason I want something a bit more sedate and roomy. I've no money to add to it. I guess I'm looking for a suggestion of a reliable, family car, an estate if possible, for 8k or less, that on the balance of probabilities I won't have to put any significant money into for a while...

I've been trawling the internet for weeks and all I keep looking at is that shaggin' saab 9-5 estate that the other lads thread was about (he better buy it soon ) because although I want to be sensible my inclination seems to be toward things a little different, I wouldn't have bought the alfa otherwise! Now I want to go against type and get something boring and reliable!

I see Mondeo estates, Superb estates etc but the high mileage 200k+ keeps putting me off, should that concern me in this day and age?

TBi

Unless you really need the space i'd stick with what you have. Better the devil you know and all that. You have a new turbo and EGR which means these won't need to be replaced for a good while. Any car you buy now might need these to be done. Don't buy someone elses problem

quadrifoglio verde

Well you could trade down and buy a lemon.....there is a significant risk of that happening

imurdaddy

If you like the 159 and have no problems with it id keep it, loads of room for a child or 3 in it. Its a false economy trading down and as they say better the devil you know!

imurdaddy

If you like the 159 and have no problems with it id keep it, loads of room for a child or 3 in it. Its a false economy trading down and as theysay better the devil you know!

galwaytt

supersaint3 wrote: »

Hello all,

I'm the owner of an '08 Alfa 159 which I have lovingly owned since March 2010 and have been incredibly happy with. However there's now 166,000 km on the clock and having recently replaced the turbo (€1,000) and last year the EGR (€600) and finding my pockets a little tight lately, I'm wondering would it be the time to move it on. Having put that plus two new tires into it for the NCT last month, I'm stuck in the quandary of having sunk a fair few bob into it lately. We have an 11 month old which is another reason I want something a bit more sedate and roomy. I've no money to add to it. I guess I'm looking for a suggestion of a reliable, family car, an estate if possible, for 8k or less, that on the balance of probabilities I won't have to put any significant money into for a while...

I've been trawling the internet for weeks and all I keep looking at is that shaggin' saab 9-5 estate that the other lads thread was about (he better buy it soon ) because although I want to be sensible my inclination seems to be toward things a little different, I wouldn't have bought the alfa otherwise! Now I want to go against type and get something boring and reliable!

I see Mondeo estates, Superb estates etc but the high mileage 200k+ keeps putting me off, should that concern me in this day and age?

As someone who's had his 210k km Saab ploughed into, and is running a rental in the meantime, I can confirm that....a 9 yr old high mileage 9-5 is still better than a new 141 Corolla. ...

But I'd have an Alfa no problem. Why would you sell it after fixing it ? .. and give someone else the benefit of your recent spend ? Nah. Keep it.

ian87

I traded down last year. And traded down again in May! All I can say is make sure the car your trading down to is absolutely mechanically ok as best you can. By the sounds of what your hoping to do puts you into private sale territory and often times but not always people are selling due to impending big bills.
I came down 4 years from one BMW to another and to be honest it probably cost the best part of what I'd gotten back after doing the few jobs needed on an older car.
That said I traded down again to a diesel focus I bought from a garage as a trade sale.. 4 months later my little focus is going great and and I've deposit of a house sitting in the bank.

Tldr; make sure you are sure if the car you are trading down to.

Also how much will you realistically get for an Alfa that's gone over the dreaded, in the eyes of the average Irish motorist, 100k miles. Will it actually be worth it especially with 1600+ of new parts fitted?

supersaint3

thanks all for the replies there's some very good food for thought there! I suppose I knew it would be wasteful to get rid after spending so much... And funnily enough since the young lad went into the forward facing seat getting him in to the back of the alfa has been quite tough, it's just the roof line or the shape of the door or something!

fineso.mom

Would you not just trade in the 11mnth old for a smaller model ,then you can keep the car? Less fuel consumption too;)

Supergurrier

Are nidern babies some kind of monsters now that once one is 6 months away people need an mpv, cmon guys.

When i was a kid they stuffed us in a 1.3 escort

skyhighflyer

Trade down all you want, but you'll just be letting some opportunistic Alfa fan like me have the benefit of your well maintained car for the next 100k kilometres

Seriously, almost every modern diesel needs that kind of maintenance at that mileage, just hold on and enjoy the fruits of your investment for the next few years

visual

Trade down why not stay on par and trade it in for a fiat.

Bpmull

If you like the car is be keeping it. It's not as if your guaranteed to save money by buying another second hand car. At least you know your is sound for now. You could sell it and buy a yoke that will cause loads of problems. No matter how good you may check a second hand car out its amazing what faults can pop up once you've bought it some it may well have been impossible to find when buying it. Sure the Alfa is going to keep requiring maintenance every year and stuff will go wrong but then the same can be said for literally any other car you will buy for 8k euro and at least you like the Alfa.

goz83

1 child and you're looking at estates? Jesus wept. Like the Alfa, you're wires are crossed.

I've got 4 kids. We had a brava until baby 4 was expected and by necessity, got a zafira. Still have my lil jap sports car though in the garage.

Lex Luthor

had a 156 with 2 boys age 7 and 5. plenty space, boot isnt the best in these with buggies but we managed, just bought a smaller buggy for 100 eur.....

daveohdave

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Well you could trade down and buy a lemon.....there is a significant risk of that happening

Only a fool buys a lemon. There's only a significant risk if the buyer hasn't done their due diligence.

ian87

daveohdave wrote: »

Only a fool buys a lemon. There's only a significant risk if the buyer hasn't done their due diligence.

Really? Don't be so naive!

My mechanic gave one of my cars a thorough look over before I bought. Car developed a slow coolant leak, parking sensors worked intermittently, rear diff making very worrying noises after a few months among other niggly problems. There is only so much a mechanic can spot. I come from a motor trade background so cars are in my blood and I can spot a lemon a lot easier than most people but no matter what checks you do sometimes problems can be missed or given a quick enough fix to hide them when being inspected.
I've seen cars bought into the trade that were running fine but only due to the bottle of oil thickener which had been thrown in the day before. The following day they were ticking like clock. A bottle
of degergent and a power hose can hide that oil leak easily for a day or two an when it reappears it's the next persons problem. Your talking about money and people will do anything to get it or cut their losses.